Over 270 arrests as Warsaw nationalist march ends in clashes, flares, water cannon

Far-right protesters throw flares in front of the National Stadium during the annual far-right rally, which coincides with Poland's National Independence Day in Warsaw November 11, 2014 (Reuters / Kacper Pempel) / Reuters

At least 276 people were arrested and just under 50 injured after clashes broke out in Warsaw. Polish nationalists took to the streets to mark the nation's National Independence Day, throwing flares and stones at officers, who responded with water cannon.

Tens of thousands
marched through the Polish capital Tuesday with many carrying the
national flag, while flares and firecrackers were also let off.
The march was attended by extremist nationalist groups, such as
the Radical Camp and the All-Polish Youth.

Marches through the city’s capital have taken place every year
since 2008 and have often led to clashes between rival political
organizations.

For the fourth
consecutive year the procession turned violent, with a group
breaking away as they crossed a bridge over the Vistula river and
reached the eastern bank, near the Polish national football
stadium.

According to Reuters, they tore up paving slabs and benches from
a nearby bus station and started to throw them at police, who
were dressed in riot gear.

Law enforcement officers responded by approaching the rioters and
using a water cannon truck to push the marches back onto the
bridge in the direction they had come. Some outlets report rubber
bullets and tear gas was deployed.

Up to 23 police officers and 24 protesters were wounded in the
clashes, while at least 276 people were detained, according to
TASS.

Though the provocateurs were eventually separated from the march
by a police cordon, clashes still go on. Ruptly showed from the
scene that police, armed with shields, again had to resort to
water cannons to stop the crowd. The people at the stadium were
waving flags and throwing flares.

In November 2013, police
had to use rubber bullets and pepper spray to disperse a crowd of
violent Polish nationalist demonstrators
during an Independence Day march in Warsaw, who pelted the
Russian embassy with firecrackers and bottles.

Officers in riot gear formed a cordon around the building, as
young shaven-headed demonstrators waving red-and-white flags
tried to push through. The crowd shouted slogans directed against
Russia, Poland’s eastern neighbor, which the demonstrators blamed
for World War II atrocities and occupation during the Soviet era.

Poland's foreign ministry criticized the action, saying
"there is no justification for hooliganism."

National Independence Day has been celebrated since November 11,
1918, when the country gained independence after being
partitioned between Russia, Prussia and the Habsburg Empire.